Restaurant Profile - Isabelle's Restaurant & Lounge
Located in The Pearle Hotel & Spa, Isabelle's Restaurant & Lounge is an upscale, approachable dining destination in beautiful Burlington, Ontario. Their cuisine is founded upon light, fresh and delicious food with a Mediterranean focus.
They’ve got a delightful dining room and a picturesque patio, overlooking Lake Ontario.
Opened in November, 2021, their Executive Chef, Mike Spitzig, shared some information with us about Isabelle’s:
Is it reservation only?
Isabelle accepts reservations and walk-ins. Valet Parking is complimentary for guests of Isabelle with a reservation.
What is the capacity indoors and outdoors?
150 inside and 120 on the outdoor patio.
What makes Isabelle's stand out against the competition?
The space is gorgeous and the views are unbelievable.
Second only to that, the food is fun and creative with an ultimately seasonal focus. The third piece is as a company we hold ourselves to the highest standard in all aspects, always striving to live our values (Collaboration, Kindness, Quality, Perseverance.)
What type of impression do you want to leave guests with?
We want our guests to feel they come first. We want them to be comfortable in the space, enjoying good company and great food.
How would you describe the menu?
Our menu is light and fresh with a Mediterranean focus. While pulling in local and seasonal offerings from our earth to table farm. The menu is very shareable, encouraging a relaxed and interactive feel.
In early 2023, they launched “Lakehouse Hour” between 4-6pm, Monday - Friday, featuring a special menu with a selection of Isabelle’s favorite snacks and shared plates paired with half-price cocktails and glasses of wine from the cellar.
They also announced that every Monday, Isabelle offers half priced, mouthwatering pastas!
I decided to experience Isabelle’s myself and was joined by Lindsay Davies of I've Been Bit! who specializes in outdoor adventures as she explores local gems - and stays fuelled while doing so. Her other website, Eat Local Ontario, is crafted in partnership with Stephanie Mayo to showcase the amazing eats and treats you can find across the province.
We arrived at 4:00 p.m. to try the “Lakehouse Hour” specials and the half-priced pastas.
To get us going, the orders placed started with the Delicata Squash Donut, which is perfectly named and equally delicious, followed by the Beef Tartare, which was oh-so good!
Moving on to the half-priced pastas, we ordered the Linguine Pesto first, which was nicely plated by our server. There’s just enough pesto to avoid an overpowering taste and we’d definitely order it again.
Next up was the classic, Spaghetti Bolognese. If a restaurant can deliver on this classic dish, it’s certainly a good sign, and deliver they did.
Keeping the pasta train in motion saw the Rigatoni Pomodoro arrive next. Another simple yet tasty dish with tomato and basil being well-balanced.
Wrapping up our foursome of pasta dishes came via the Mushroom Malfatti, which was slightly more complex than the previous two. The smart blend of black garlic, wild mushrooms and truffle and mushroom dashi was a terrific closing plate to our series of pasta dishes.
Dessert was light, full of flavour and the portions are right-sized, especially after pastas, which lean on the heavier side.
Their creative take on the staple Crème brûlée both looks stunning and tastes authentic.
A sorbet flight followed with three different flavours and we wrapped up with a sweet and savoury Olive Oil Cake.